Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Origin: Probably from a Scandinavian language

toss

1 verb
     
Related topics: Cooking
toss1
1 [transitive] to throw something, especially something light, with a quick gentle movement of your hand
toss something into/onto etc something
She crumpled the letter and tossed it into the fire.
toss something aside/over etc
Toss that book over, will you?
toss something to somebody
'Catch!' said Sandra, tossing her bag to him.
toss somebody something
Frank tossed her the newspaper.
2 [intransitive and transitive] to move about continuously in a violent or uncontrolled way, or to make something do this
toss something around/about
The small boat was tossed about like a cork.
3

toss and turn

to keep changing your position in bed because you cannot sleep:
I've been tossing and turning all night.
4 also toss up [intransitive and transitive] especially British English to throw a coin in the air, so that a decision will be made according to the side that faces upwards when it comes down [= flip American English]
They tossed a coin to decide who would go first.
toss (somebody) for it
We couldn't make up our minds, so we decided to toss for it.
5 [transitive] to throw something up into the air and let it fall to the ground:
The crowd cheered, banging pots and tossing confetti into the air.
6

toss a pancake

British English to throw a pancake upwards so that it turns over in the air and lands on the side that you want to cook [= flip American English]
7 [transitive]DFC to move pieces of food about in a small amount of liquid so that they become covered with the liquid:
Toss the carrots in some butter before serving.
8

toss your head/hair

writtenHBH to move your head or hair back suddenly, often with a shaking movement showing anger:
He tossed his head angrily and left the room.

toss off

phrasal verb
1

toss something ↔ off

to produce something quickly and without much effort:
one of those painters who can toss off a couple of pictures before breakfast
2

toss something ↔ off

written to drink something quickly:
He tossed off a few whiskies.
3

toss (somebody) off

British English informal not polite to masturbate

toss something/somebody ↔ out

phrasal verb
1 to get rid of something that you do not want:
I tossed most of that stuff out when we moved.
2 to make someone leave a place, especially because of bad behaviour
toss something/somebody ↔ out of
Kurt was tossed out of the club for trying to start a fight.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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